A vending machine is a machine that can automatically serve a number of different products and takes payment without a human vendor needing to be present. Vending machines often serve hot drinks, (such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate), cold drinks (such as soft drinks, juice ect), food such as snacks (chocolate, crisps, sweets) and also healthier foods such as sandwiches, salads ect.
Vending machines vary from country to country and in different countries vending machines dispense different things. In Australia some vending machines dispense gem stones. In Japan which has the highest number of vending machines per capita, one for every 23 people there seems almost no limit to what can be sold by vending machines including: liquor, cans of beer, fried food, underwear, iPods, live lobsters, fresh meat, eggs and potted plants.
A common type of snack bar in the Netherlands is called automatiek and is similar to an automat. It has a wall lined with coin-operated machines. Each has a vertical row of little windows, with a (usually hot) snack behind each, e.g. a croquette, a frikandel or a hamburger.
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Safety
Modern vending machines have been extensively tested to prevent theft. They in effect act as a kind of large safe. Every year there a few incidents of accidents where vending machines fall on top of people. This is usually caused by people trying to break into the vending machine or from people hitting or shaking the machine.
People most commonly become angry with vending machines if they put money into the machine but they do not receive the goods they have paid for.
Vending machines are relatively easy to knock over because they tend to be weighted at the top with heavy can drinks for example, this means that many machines only need to be tipped by twenty degrees in order to fall over.
This can potentially cause accidents if the machine falls on a person. A fully loaded drinks machine can weigh over 400kg. A machine of this weight falling on a person can cause serious injuries and even death.
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